LSU baseball continued its recent knack for turning talent into professionals on Saturday. The Three players were taken from the program and three signees were selected to MLB clubs on the first day of the MLB Draft, headlined by center fielder Derek Curiel’s selection at fifth overall.
Curiel was the first of three to be taken out of Baton Rouge, followed by right fielder Jake Brown and pitcher Deven Sheerin.
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Curiel with the fifth overall pick of the draft. He was the first outfielder to be selected in this year’s proceedings. LSU has now had four players go on to be top-five picks in the last four MLB Drafts: Kade Anderson was picked third overall last year and Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews went first and second in the 2023 draft.
Curiel’s selection places him in the same organization that picked Skenes and has familiarity with talent coming out of LSU. Skenes produced one of the best collegiate pitching seasons in 2023 before going first to the Pirates, and LSU commit Konnor Griffin was picked ninth out of high school the year after.
While none of the three spent time as teammates at LSU, it’s clear a purple and gold pipeline has been identified in the Pirates’ organization.
The fifth selection, which some saw as early for the center fielder after Curiel’s ho-hum 2026, carries a $8.3 million valuation for a signing bonus at that pick. That figure will all but certainly cement Curiel’s decision to turn pro, ending weeks-long speculation about a potential return to LSU for 2027.
Brown came off of the board a round later, being picked 65th overall by the Seattle Mariners. The Louisiana native entered Baton Rouge as a pitcher and is expected to turn pro as an outfielder after several great seasons in right field at Alex Box Stadium.
Concerns lingered about Brown’s health entering the draft. He missed the last month of LSU’s unsuccessful 2026 season after breaking his right hamate. The shelving hurt Brown’s chances at breaking through into the first round of this year’s draft.
Similar to Curiel, Brown will play alongside LSU royalty in his professional organization. Brown will be reunited with Anderson, his former teammate and third overall pick in 2024. Brown will hope to have a similarly strong start to his pro career as Anderson who was the American League’s starting pitcher in this Sunday’s MLB All-Star Futures Game.
Sheerin was the final player to come off of LSU’s 2026 roster on Saturday. The Philadelphia Phillies, hosts of this year’s draft, took him with the 128th overall pick.
The physically impressive right-hander was solid in 37 ⅔ innings at LSU in 2026. He transferred into the program ahead of 2025 but missed his first year in Baton Rouge as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery. The velocity on his fastball wowed scouts and earned him a selection ahead of his senior season with LSU.
Three high school prospects signed to LSU were taken as well: pitchers Logan Schmidt and Jensen Hirschkorn and outfielder Wessley Roberson. All three are anticipated to sign and turn pro.
High school pitcher and LSU signee Coleton Brady announced his withdrawal of his name from this year’s draft pool, solidifying his future plans in Baton Rouge.
